Embodiments of the invention generally relate to mobile communications devices and wireless networking. More specifically, they relate to systems and methods for efficiently determining location information of mobile communications devices.
GPS chipsets and other location determination technology have advanced rapidly over past few years. Technology related to mobile communications devices, and the networks upon which they operate, have seen breakthroughs as well. Relational databases and computers systems represent another area that has also seen significant advancement. There are significant opportunities for integration of these different systems, devices and technologies to provide new functionality.
One of the larger hurdles to deployment is the power constraints inherent in many mobile communications devices. This limits the processing that can take place on the devices, and thus limits their functionality. Many services that leverage location information are power intensive on the device, and thus have not been deployed in many types of devices. For example, mapping software, which creates maps based on GPS location information, is often loaded on to mobile devices. However, this type of functionality requires significant processing, and thus serves as a significant drain on many mobile communication devices. Thus, there exists a need in the art to leverage these advanced technologies, while efficiently using the limited power available on a device.
In addition to providing location based information only to the user, the sharing of location based information may provide benefits. Given privacy concerns, users will not want to share their location information all of the time and to everyone. These privacy concerns are an impediment that currently limits the sharing of such information. However, there are specific instances in which sharing location information is of significant value. For instance, letting friends and other family members know a user's location can be important for safety and coordination reasons. Also, sharing information with certain providers of products and services in user defined circumstances may provide value as well. Thus, there exists a need in the art for systems and methods of sharing location based and other user information, while filtering access to that information.